The Thirteenth Floor
by Kylie Dilston
Summary: Takes place after One Last Hope and is the second in my series. Fiona struggles to figure out her gifts, her feelings for Carey, and meets Logan, an interesting Aussie with a gift of his own. UPDATED 71301! Chapter Five and the Epilogue are now up!
1. The Thirteenth Floor

PCENTERH3 The Thirteenth Floor: Chapter One /H3/CENTER/P  
CENTERPAuthor's Note: This story is the second in my series and takes place directly after the events in One Last Hope. Let me know what you think, if people seem to like it I'll finish up the remaining chapters a little faster than I was planning on and maybe write a few more, so please R&R!!/P/CENTER  
  
  
CHAPTER ONE  
Fiona blinked, trying in vain to make the string of words printed on the page before her make sense. A quick glance at the clock told her it was 7:40 p.m. With a resigned grumble she closed her history text book. There was no point in trying to concentrate on that when her mind was elsewhere.  
  
Since her little encounter with Bricriu last week her new abilities had been seeing fit to make themselves known. Usually at the worst possible moments and always when emotions were running high.   
  
For example, the day after she found out about her new gifts her Mom had canceled their scheduled trip home in order to play a benefit concert. She was angry, to say the least. But the fact that it was for charity and she was still angry only made her feel worse. When she stormed off towards her room, every drawer and cabinet door she walked by swung open.   
  
Luckily for her, the only people on the bus at the time were Carey, her mother, and herself. Unfortunately the outburst was so unexpected that Fi could only look around at the aftermath, her jaw slack and at a complete loss for words. Carey managed to come up with some unlikely explanation involving built up air pressure and heat which her Mom somehow bought. Come to think of it, Carey seemed to be covering up for her a lot lately. She'd have to remember to thank him for it later.  
  
Telekinesis was definitely not something that was coming easy for her. Carey had been trying to help her practice, but after eight days the best she could do was levitate small items. She couldn't even hold them for very long without dropping it.  
  
She spotted a pencil sitting on her desk and quirked a brow. Now would be as good a time as any to practice. She'd call Carey in, but from the sound of it he was really working hard on learning the song her Mom had just finished. He was a real sweetheart most of the time, but he could get grumpy when he was stuck on a song. No, she'd be on her own this time.  
  
Fi raised her hand and smiled as a pencil lifted from her desk on the other side of the room. Her brows furrowed in concentration as she attempted to bring it towards her. Only three more feet, almost... almost...  
  
"Yo, Fi!" Clu called as he knocked on her open door and walked into her room.  
  
"Ack!" caught by surprise, Fi jumped. With the lack of concentration the pencil fell to the floor. Fi's expression resembled that of a deer caught in the headlights. 'Note to self,' she thought dryly, 'Next time, make sure the door is *closed* before practicing my TK.'  
  
Clu looked at her expression strangely for a moment. "What? Am I interrupting something?"  
  
Obviously he hadn't seen the pencil. Fiona had the urge to breathe a sigh of relief, but swallowed it and gave a relieved smile instead. "Nah. I was just, um- studying."  
  
"Ah, that's cool. Your mom told me to come tell you that we're almost at the hotel," Clu looked around her room as he spoke.  
  
"Right, I'll be out in a minute," Fi stood up and set her history book on her desk, turning again to face Clu.  
  
"Um, Fi?"   
  
'Uh-oh. I know that expression. He must want something.'  
  
"Yeah, Clu?"  
  
"I was wondering... Your Mom told me to tell Carey also, but he's not exactly in the best of moods and I thought well.. since you seem to be able to calm him down and all.."  
  
"If I would tell him?" Fi finished and he nodded. She couldn't help but smile a little. "Sure."  
  
Clu grinned, "Excellent, thanks."  
  
Fi followed Clu out of her room and made her way to the boys room. She waited until the sounds of the guitar stopped for a moment before knocking. She heard him give an annoyed "What?" and timidly walked in, closing the door to a crack behind her.  
  
"Oh, it's you," Carey gave a small smile and set down his guitar. He moved over a little to make room for her on the bed.  
  
"Clu sent me to tell you that we're almost to the hotel," Fi sprawled out next to him, getting comfortable.  
  
"Why didn't Clu just tell me himself?" Carey asked.  
  
Fi laughed, "He was afraid you were in a bad mood so he asked me to. Something about my 'being able to calm you down'. Whatever that's about."  
  
Carey looked to the side. Fiona couldn't tell, but he might have been blushing. Nah, he didn't feel that way about her, did he?  
  
"So," Fi changed the subject. "How's the song coming?"  
  
"Slowly," he turned his attention back to her.   
  
'See? His face is it's normal shade of tan. No red in sight. You're imagining things.'  
  
Fi began to laugh.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh, nothing. It's just that when Clu came to talk to me I was in the middle of using my T.K. to levitate a pencil from my desk to where I was sitting on my bed," she noticed his worried expression and finished quickly. "He didn't see anything, don't worry. But it scared the heck out of me."  
  
"Why didn't you come get me if you were going to practice?" his voice was monotone, not hurt, but not thrilled either.  
  
"Truth?"  
  
"Truth."  
  
"I was about as scared to talk to you as Clu was," she grinned.  
  
Carey laughed, "What? Do I have some reputation of being this foul-tempered guy when I practice or something?"  
  
"Basically," Fi smiled and nudged his side.  
  
Carey reached over and tickled her stomach and before they knew it, an all out tickle war was in progress. They were so involved in the tickle-match that neither of them heard the knock on the door or Jack enter the room.  
  
"Hey, don't mind me, just coming to grab my overnight pa-" Jack cut himself short and raised an eyebrow at Carey and Fi, who sat up once they heard his voice. `"Pack," he finished. "Am I interrupting something?"  
  
"No, just a friendly tickle war," Fi fought down the giggle which was starting to form deep in her throat.   
  
"Uh-huh. Yeah, anyways, I got my pack," he held it up. "So I'll just be going now."  
  
As soon as he was out of the room Carey and Fi both erupted into a fit of laughter. The bus pulled to a stop and Fi managed to stand up, "I'm gonna go grab my stuff. I'll meet you outside in a few okay?"  
  
Carey smiled and Fi left the room.  
  
  
  
Fiona rolled her eyes in spite of herself. It's not like she and Carey were together or anything. She didn't have the right to complain when Carey felt the need to flirt with the best looking girl in the room. Though he could at least be a little more subtle about it.   
  
And why should she care? Since when did she think of Carey as anything more than just a big-brother type? When did it become something else? Something more?   
  
She leaned back into one of the more comfortable plush chairs in the lobby of the hotel, waiting for her mother and Irene to get the room keys and check them in. Fixing a glare on Carey and the blond girl who were sitting on the other side of the lobby, she fought back the urge to use her powers to pick her up and toss her out of the hotel. The thought made her smile a little.  
  
"Hey Fi," Jack said as he took the seat next to her.  
  
"Hey Bro," Fi sighed and looked down at her lap then up at her older brother. Was he nervous? Why was he fidgeting?  
  
"Sis, I was wondering.. I mean I know the only guys you really spend time with around your age are Clu and Carey.. and um, well I guess what I'm trying to say is..."  
  
"Jack, if this is about Carey, we're just friends," Fi frowned. "Trust me."  
  
Jack looked relieved, but didn't say anything more.  
  
Fiona cast a glance towards Carey and felt her insides clinch when she noticed that the girls hand was laying shamelessly on his knee. The fact that Carey didn't seem too interested in moving it only made it worse. She couldn't keep sitting here.   
  
"I'm gonna get some air," Fi stood up and looked across the room at the check-in desk where her mother was arguing with the hotel manager. "Come get me if Mom ever gets the room crisis sorted out."  
  
Before Jack had time to object, Fiona was out the doors and heading towards the outside pool in the back of the hotel. The cool air assaulted her skin and she remembered too late that she had left her jacket on the chair in the lobby. Oh well, she certainly wasn't going back for it right now.  
  
She sat on one of the vacant patio chairs and gazed up at the cloudless sky, nearly mesmerized by the full moon which shone brightly.  
  
"Beautiful isn't it?"   
  
Fiona looked up and into the hazel eyes of a boy she didn't recognize. "Yeah, it is," she smiled and he returned the gesture.  
  
The boy's sandy brown hair fell into his eyes as he looked down at her. "My name's Logan. Logan McLachlan."  
  
"Fi Phillips," she reached out her hand to shake his. His skin was cool to the touch and she shivered.  
  
"Cold?" Logan took off his brown leather jacket and handed it to her, taking the seat next to her.  
  
"Thanks. I left mine in the lobby," Fi took a closer look at him as she draped it around her bare shoulders. He was a little shorter than Carey, but taller than her brother, probably around seventeen or so. He was dressed in a pair of khaki pants with a loose white button-up shirt and an open vest. Not exactly the most up-to-date outfit, but it had it's own style.   
  
"So, to what do we owe the honor of your visit to Chicago, Fi Phillips?" There was a faint Australian accent in his voice which had an almost lilting quality.  
  
"My mom," Fi smiled blandly. "She's a singer. Chicago's our stop for the next week or so."  
  
Logan nodded, looking out across the blue-green waters of the pool, lit by the lights which were plastered into the wall at both ends. Nobody would be using the pool for a while, now that fall was settling in. Even though it was heated, the guests would probably be more inclined to use the inside pool.  
  
"Don't resent your mother, Fi Phillips," Logan said quietly, keeping his eyes on the waters. "Or Carey for that matter," this time he looked straight at her, his eyes searching hers, waiting for a response.  
  
"How did you.." she stopped herself and smiled. "How long have you been able to do that?"  
  
"What? Read minds?" He chuckled a little. "Since I was little. I try not to read the mind's of people unless it's necessary, but you were practically broadcasting your thoughts."  
  
Fi realized another thought which she had been concentrating on when he had approached her. "So you know then?"  
  
"Yeah," he rested his elbows on his knees and leaned forward slightly, looking towards the ground. "Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me. As long as mine's the same with you."  
  
She smiled and relaxed a little, copying his posture. "So do you live around here?"  
  
"Yeah," his accent got a little stronger. "I live here, in the hotel. My dad owns it."  
  
Fi felt a strange feeling surge through her. Logan looked up quickly, noticing it.  
  
"Someone's watching us," Logan commented. He scanned the bushes on the other side of the pool and stopped when he noticed a section of them rustling. It stopped after a moment and the feeling passed.  
  
"What was that?" Fi asked, rubbing the back of her neck.  
  
Logan turned his attention to her and smiled lightly. "Nothing to worry about I'm sure."  
  
"Hey Fi!" Carey's voice called from the doorway. "You out here?" the voice was getting closer.  
  
"Great, he's about that last person I want to see right now," Fi mumbled, leaning back into her chair and folding her arms.  
  
"Give him a chance, Fi," Logan smiled and stood up.  
  
"There you are," Carey came around the corner and spotted her sitting in a chair, glaring at her feet.  
  
Fi didn't move to greet him.  
  
"Why are you out here by yourself? And who's jacket is that?" he questioned. He held up her jacket which she had left in the lobby.  
  
Fi sighed, then his first question finally registered. By herself? She looked to the spot where Logan had been sitting, but found it empty. She reached up to take off the jacket, then paused and pulled her arms through the sleeves. "It's a friend's."  
  
Carey looked at her quizzically a moment, then held out her jacket which she took. "Um. Okay... Well your Mom got our room numbers. Turns out they only had two rooms left, because of a conference even though she had reserved four. So your Mom and my parents are sharing one and then the rest of us share one."  
  
"I have to share a room with three guys?" Fiona looked at him in disbelief. "For a WEEK?"  
  
Carey nodded.   
  
"Well this day just keeps getting better and better," Fi mumbled. She felt mentally exhausted, what she really needed was a good nights sleep and now that didn't look too promising.  
  
"C'mon," Carey held out a hand and helped her to her feet, putting an arm around her shoulders and guiding her inside. "So who's jacket is this anyway?"  
  
"Logan's," Fi smiled. "I met him while I was outside, he left before I could give it back to him."  
  
She dug her hands into the pockets and narrowed her eyes when she pulled out a business card for the hotel manager. They stopped in front of the elevator and Clu ran up to them. Fi flipped the card over and noticed scrawled writing on the back.   
  
'2 p.m. Thursday at the pool. P.S.: Don't worry about the jacket!'  
  
Fi smiled. Today was Wednesday. Was this a note from Logan? Of course it was. He did say not to worry about the jacket didn't he? But how did he know?  
  
"Coming, Fi?" Clu asked from inside the elevator. Fi looked up and stepped in.  
  
"Wait! Hold the elevator!" a female voice called from a few feet away. Fiona held out a hand, stopping the doors from closing, but soon regretted it. Should've let the doors close, she thought, annoyed. The girl from earlier stepped onto the elevator and Carey smiled.  
  
"Oh, it's you!" Carey smiled and she stood next to him.   
  
'Oh it's you!' Fiona mimicked to herself. She remembered him saying that to her earlier, but with a little less enthusiasm. She glared at the closed elevator doors in front of her, trying not to look at the reflection of the two chatting behind her.  
  
"That's weird," Clu commented, gesturing to the floor numbers which were lighting up at every new floor.  
  
"What's that?" Fi looked at them.  
  
"There's no floor thirteen," he narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Oh, that. A lot of hotels don't have a thirteenth floor," Fi explained. "Bad luck."  
  



	2. The Thirteenth Floor

  
The Thirteenth Floor: Chapter Two  
  
By: Kyra Dilston  
  
Disclaimer: Disney owns So Weird and all it's characters. I'm only borrowing them for a little while. =)  
  
Authors Note: I'm sorry this is so late in coming and that it's rather short. An old friend of mine passed away recently so I've been a little distracted.. Hopefully the next chapter will be a little longer! Sorry again for taking so long!   
  
  
Chapter Two  
  
It was a little after nine before Fi returned to the room she was to share with the boys. She had spent the last hour or so with her mother, telling her about Logan, amongst other things. She was careful to leave out anything about Carey and his new friend. Though she shared a lot of her personal life with her Mom, that was just a little too personal.  
  
She knocked on the door and Carey answered, wearing a pair of blue flannel pants and a white shirt. He opened the door wider to let her in, then closed and locked it behind her.  
  
"Hey. Where ya' been?" Jack asked from his spot on one of the two double beds.   
  
"Yeah, where'd you go?" Clu was sitting next to him, the two had obviously been watching TV.  
  
"I was talking to Mom," Fi answered, taking a seat on the other bed. Carey sat beside her and went back to strumming his guitar.  
  
"By the way," Jack started. "You and I are going to have to share a bed. I'd give you the whole thing if it didn't mean I'd wind up sleeping on the floor."  
  
Fiona smiled, "That's okay. But you kick me and you *will* be sleeping on the floor."  
  
"Hah, hah. Very funny. You know I don't kick in my sleep."  
  
"Yeah, you don't kick about as much as you don't snore," Fi shot back, inciting a chuckle from both Clu and Carey who knew from sharing a room with him that it was true.  
  
Jack frowned and focused his attention back to the TV. Fiona looked back at Carey. She wanted to ask him about that girl, just to see if she could find out what he thought of her.  
  
Well, no time like the present, she thought before turning towards Carey.  
  
"So," she tried to look casual, "who was the girl you were talking to earlier?"  
  
"You mean Kylie?" Carey looked up and stopped his strumming.  
  
"Yeah, her," Fi couldn't keep the edge from her voice.   
  
"She lives here in the hotel, her Dad owns it," Carey set his guitar on the floor and turned into a different position, facing her.  
  
"But that can't be right," Fi shook her head. "Logan said his Dad owned the place. That would mean that they-"  
  
"-Were brother and sister," Carey finished.  
  
Well, this was an interesting turn of events. A slight snore from the other side of the room ended their conversation.  
  
"So much for the sleeping arrangements," Carey mumbled as he noticed that Clu and Jack had fallen asleep on the other double bed.  
  
Fiona rolled her eyes and used her TK to turn off the television.  
  
"I'll never get tired of seeing you do that," he smiled in amusement.  
  
Fi grinned. "So what are we going to do about where we sleep?"  
  
Carey looked around the room, unless he wanted to sleep on a couple of chairs put together, it looked like his only other option was the floor. "I'll sleep down here. I'm pretty sure there's some extra blankets in the closet over there."  
  
"C'mon Carey. I'm not going to make you sleep on the floor," she smiled. "How about I sleep under the covers and you sleep on top? There's room enough for the both of us."  
  
"You drive a hard bargain," Carey chuckled. "But I think anything's better than the ground," He made a move towards the closet to grab an extra blanket.  
  
Fi raised an eyebrow at that comment then chided herself for reading too much into it again. She sighed. It was going to be a long night.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Knock, knock, knock.  
  
Fiona sat up groggily and looked around, her gaze falling upon the door.   
  
"Fi!" a harsh whisper came from outside in the hallway. She blinked in surprise when she recognized the voice. Throwing off the covers she made her way around the mess the boys had created and stumbled towards the door. She opened it quietly and looked back to make sure the guys were still asleep.  
  
"Logan?" Fi gave him a confused look. "Is everything okay?"  
  
"We need to talk," his face was calm, but his eyes betrayed the urgency of his unexpected visit. Obviously tomorrow was too long to wait. He looked past her towards her sleeping brother and friends. "Not here. Will you come with me?"  
  
Fiona looked at him again, debating on what she should do. Jack would be mad about her leaving in the middle of the night like this, but Logan seemed pretty desperate to talk.   
  
"Wait here while I change."  
  
She disappeared back into the hotel room, grabbed a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and changed quickly in the bathroom, then left a hastily scribbled note on the nightstand saying she had gone for a walk and would be back soon. Grabbing Logan's jacket and a room key she closed the door silently behind her. 


	3. The Thirteenth Floor

  
The Thirteenth Floor: Chapter Three  
  
By: Kyra Dilston  
  
Disclaimer: Disney owns So Weird and all it's characters. I'm only borrowing them for a little while. =)  
  
Authors Note: Okay, I think this may be a new record for me.. cranking out an entire chapter in less than three hours. I'm usually pretty critical of my writing so I spend forever editing. Guess I was inspired enough to write it decently the first time! I've set this one as PG for mild (well, mild in my opinion) cursing.. Nothing horrible though.. Thanks to everyone who has been giving me feedback on this.. it really is what keeps me writing! Thanks again!  
  
CHAPTER THREE  
  
/CARREEYYY!!!!!/  
  
"Ahh!" Carey bolted upright in his bed putting his hands to his ears instinctively. The mental scream which just pierced through his dream was almost deafening. He looked to his right, half expecting to see Fi still sleeping quietly, but wasn't all that surprised to find her missing.  
  
"Carey?" Clu muttered from the other side of the room, lifting his head from the pillow and looking around. "What's going on?"  
  
/CAREY! I hope you can hear me... I need your help!/  
  
Still only half awake, Carey wondered if Fi's voice was coming from somewhere else in the room.   
  
"You okay, bro?" Clu raised a tired eyebrow at him.  
  
"Fi?" he asked aloud.   
  
/God dammit, Carey! WAKE UP!/  
  
Woah, Carey noted, she sound's pissed. Well, obviously she can't hear him talking so maybe if he just tried to *think* it really loudly...  
  
/Fi?/ he thought back, feeling a bit foolish.  
  
/Finally! You have to come help me.../  
  
Carey got out of bed and changed quickly, grabbing various items and ran from the room, either not hearing, or ignoring his brothers questions as to what he was doing.  
  
  
  
TEN MINUTES EARLIER...  
  
"Where are we going Logan?"  
  
They had gotten in the elevator and were going down. Logan reached out and hit the emergency stop button, stopping them between floors twelve and fourteen.  
  
"What are you doing? Why'd you stop the elevator?" she gave him a confused glare. First he wakes her up at two a.m., interrupting a particularly decent dream involving Carey, then he gets them stuck in an elevator. Perfect.  
  
"We're not stuck," Logan mumbled.  
  
Almost forgot, Fi mused, he can read minds. She'd have to be a little more careful with her thoughts.  
  
She watched quietly as he reached out and turned the button for floor twelve. The doors slid open, revealing a floor of the hotel covered and dust and apparently unused. The furnishings were from the mid-twenties or so, a gas lamp hung on one wall glowing dimly and providing the hallway with a low light compensated partly by a few scattered candles.   
  
The elevator had been stopped a little below the floor so she stepped up and out into the hall, followed closely by Logan.  
  
Where was this place?  
  
"This place," he said annoyed "is floor thirteen. The place my sister and I call home."  
  
Ever thought of calling housekeeping? she thought sarcastically, knowing full well that he could hear her.  
  
"Very funny, girl," he remarked then started walking down the hall.  
  
Fiona walked after him, wondering what had caused the sudden change in his attitude. He seemed so nice earlier when she first met him. Frightened at the thought of being trapped on an unused floor with him and nobody knowing she was there, she stopped walking. She glanced back at the elevator, then ahead of her at Logan.  
  
He hadn't done anything which hinted he wanted to *hurt* her yet.. maybe she could trust him.  
  
"Are you coming?" he stopped, but didn't turn to address her.  
  
She started walking again, hoping he hadn't noticed her apprehension.   
  
"Well, brother, I see you've brought the girl," Kylie stood in the doorway ahead of them, a ceremonial knife in her hand.  
  
Uh-oh. Time to panic, Fi decided.   
  
"Don't worry," Logan smiled evilly. "The knife's not for you. Wouldn't want to harm the pretty little physique of yours."  
  
Fi swallowed hard as Kylie stepped aside and Logan pushed her into the room, grabbing her arm roughly and leading her towards a pair of shackles which hung from the far wall.  
  
/CARREEYYY!!!!!/ Fi shouted as loud as she could. Maybe one of her gifts was telepathy... The tingle she felt in the back of her neck confirmed her suspicions.   
  
/CAREY! I hope you can hear me... I need your help!/ she winced as Logan snapped the shackles around her wrists and used the key to lock it tight, then moved to do the same with her ankles.  
  
/God dammit, Carey! WAKE UP!/ Fiona didn't mean to curse, but the situation certainly warranted it.   
  
/Fi?/ Carey's voice echoed softly in her mind.  
  
/Finally! You have to come help me.../ Fi started. /Logan's got me shackled to the wall.. I'm on floor thirteen. He and Kylie are planning something./  
  
/Floor thirteen? I didn't think there was one../  
  
Fi explained how to get there and told him to hurry.  
  
Logan let out a laugh. "Dear Fiona, your little Romeo can't help you now.. Didn't you realize that we need the both of you? You just led him into our trap."  
  
Fi's eyes widened and her jaw went slack. "No..."  
  
Kylie smirked. "Yes."  
  
/Carey?! CAREY!/ Fiona fought back the hot tears which were filling her eyes. There was no answer. How could she have been so stupid?  
  
"No use trying to call him now. He can't hear you," Logan chuckled to himself as he and Kylie walked towards an alter in the middle of the room. He reached over and opened an old leather bound book, flipping to a certain page. "Cheer up, doll-face! You're going to serve a very important purpose! We can't very well take control of the earthly realm without our own bodies."  
  
"Bodies?" she choked out.   
  
"But of course! The spell that has given us the bodies you see now is only temporary. You two'll be our permanent mode of transportation," he cast her a glance over his shoulder. "Our avatars, if you will."  
  
"Why us?" Fi managed, her voice was low and strained.  
  
"Well, after our rather, *unexpected* deaths 76 years ago, we stayed here in this hotel waiting for the right two people to show up. With your gifts and Carey's ability to communicate with you telepathically, combined with our own powers we will be unstoppable!" Kylie explained, the evil glint in her eye sent shivers down Fiona's spine.  
  
"So you're going to kill us?"   
  
"Basically, yes.. the spell causes our souls to switch places. Once it is complete you and Carey will be trapped in the spirit world and we will have taken control of your bodies."  
  
Fiona struggled against the shackles, wincing as they cut at her skin. She had to find a way to warn Carey... 


	4. The Thirteenth Floor

CHAPTER FOUR  
  
Kylie dragged an unconscious Carey into the room, bringing him a few feet to the right of Fiona, then dropping his arms carelessy. As he fell to a crumpled heap in the corner, Fi winced and looked away, hearing the metallic clang of shackles being adjusted and locked into place around his ankles.  
  
This was all her fault... If only she hadn't agreed to talk with Logan.. If only she'd seen through his nice-guy act in the first place...   
  
But the fact was she hadn't. Honestly, though, she couldn't have. Of course, this reality didn't keep her from mentally beating herself up.   
  
She glanced again towards Carey. Kylie was kneeling beside him trying to figure out how she should revive him so that she could attatch the other set of shackles to his wrists. She raised a hand to slap him, but it was stilled by a shout from across the room.   
  
"Honestly, Kylie! You've put that body through enough as it is," Logan crossed his arms, his accent thick, "What with knocking him unconscious with that vase and all. Find a safer way to bring him around would you?"  
  
The refference to Carey as just a 'body' gave Fi a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.  
  
"Let me," Fiona's voice was strained. She looked away from Carey and then up to meet Logan's gaze.  
  
Logan followed her train of thought and nodded, releasing the mental block he had put up around Carey's thoughts to prevent her from warning him earlier.  
  
/Carey?/ she asked softly.  
  
Carey's eyes blinked open tiredly. Upon realizing what had happened he stood quickly. A little too quickly appearently, because his knees soon weakened and without the support he fell back against the wall, sliding down into a sitting position. Kylie pulled him back to his feet, then grabbed each arm and shackled it to the wall, getting only minimal resistance from the dazed Carey.  
  
Fiona watched sadly then let her mind wander, a definite feat given the circumstances. One thing just wasn't adding up. Why did Logan grab her in the middle of the night when they had planned to meet the next day anyway?  
  
"Because my darling sister translated the spell's requirements incorrectly," Logan answered bitterly with a pointed glance at Kylie. He must have read her mind again. He shifted from his spot next to the alter and approached his two captives.   
  
"Originally we thought the spell had to be cast twelve hours after the anniversary of our deaths. But the correct translation stated that the spell must be cast, and these temporary bodies sacrificed, at the same time as when we died 76 years ago," he paused again and looked at an antique clock hanging on the wall. "That means you have exactly two hours and forty-six minutes until the switch, we'll be back every so often to make sure you're.. comfortable," he said sarcastically, then he and Kylie left the room.  
  
"What was he talking about, Fi?" Carey asked, finally coherent enough to string together a sentence. She answered him using telepathy, not trusting her voice to keep from cracking long enough to explain the whole thing.  
  
Carey was silent a moment, then, "Fi?"  
  
"Yeah, Carey?"  
  
"Think you could use your powers to pick the lock?"  
  
"Who do I look like? Houdini?" Fi joked, forcing a dull smile which didn't quite reach her eyes.  
  
Carey grinned back at her.  
  
"Carey?"  
  
"Yeah, Fi?"   
  
"I.. I'm sorry I dragged you into this," Fi apologized, looking at the ground then up into his eyes.  
  
"Don't apologize Fi," Carey locked his eyes with hers. "Even if I'd known what I was walking into I would have done the same. I'd do anything to keep you safe."  
  
This time the smile managed to reach her eyes.  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
Bricriu watched the scene with a grin. Well, as close to a grin as he could when he was a shapeless ball of light. "Well halo, Little Duck! Seems ta be a fine mess ye've gotten yerself inta this time."   
  
Fiona broke her gaze with Carey and jerked her head towards him, "Bricriu!"  
  
"Shhh!!!" he grumbled. "Not so loud! They'll hear ye!"  
  
"Sorry," she whispered. "So are you here to get us out or what?"  
  
"Sorry, lass. No can do," he chuckled. "That whole hands-off policy is strictly enfroced when it comes ta beginners, unless yer a danger ta others I'm nah supposed ta help ye."  
  
"Then why are you here?" Carey questioned, moving his fingers around in an attempt to keep the blood circulating.  
  
"To tell ye yer options," Bricriu floated closer until he hovered in between them.  
  
"Which are?" Fi fidgeted, she had already started to lose the feeling in her hands.  
  
"One, I leave ye here to fend fer yerselves, or two, I show myself ta Jack and Clu and bring them here ta save ye."  
  
"Not much of a choice," Fi said quietly. It was either have Bricriu leave them to die, or put her brother and Clu in danger. She wasn't exactly thrilled about either.  
  
  
To Be Continued... 


	5. The Thirteenth Floor

  
AUTHORS NOTE: Okay.. after four months, (and numerous threats on my life) I finally got over my writers block and finished up this story. I apologize again for the wait, but I hope you'll enjoy the last chapter! (The epilogue will be posted in another day or so!) For those of you who haven't read the first four chapters recently, I'd suggest you at least skim over them again, that way this will make more sense. As always please R&R! Thanks!   
  
CHAPTER FIVE  
  
"So let me get this straight," Jack began. "You woke up when Carey left, presumably to get my sister from wherever it is she's run off to now... and Carey didn't say anything to you about where he was going?"  
  
"No, man. He just woke up, saw Fi was gone, then changed in a hurry and left. He wouldn't even answer me when I tried to talk to him. It was like he didn't even hear me or something," Clu and Jack exited the elevator and glanced around the deserted hotel lobby.  
  
"I don't get it," Clu said. "Where could they have gone? They know we're not allowed to leave the hotel at night without going with someone. They must be somewhere else in the building."  
  
"I guess all that's left is to tell the mom's that they're-," Jack paused mid-sentence, staring off into a darkened corner of the hotel lobby. "Did you see that?"  
  
"See what?" Clu looked to where Jack was pointing but saw nothing.  
  
"Nevermind. I must have imagined it," Jack started to turn around and follow Clu towards the elevators when the light he had seen moments earlier returned, moving quickly through the air towards them. "Duck!"  
  
Clu turned around, surprised by Jack's outburst and gave him weird look. "What?"   
  
The light picked up speed as it traveled the short distance between them, Clu saw this and ducked just before it flew overhead. "Woah! What was that?"  
  
"I dunno, but this has 'Fi' written all over it," Jack replied, getting to his feet and dusting himself off.   
  
"C'mon," Clu said as he ran after the light.  
  
"You've got to be kidding me," Jack mumbled, but followed just as Clu had ordered him.  
  
The light stopped and hovered in front of the elevator. With a flash, it disappeared through the metal doors and into the shaft.  
  
Clu reached the elevator first and pressed the up button. The doors opened immediately to reveal the light waiting impatiently for them. Jack and Clu looked at each other a moment, each debating on whether or not to get into the elevator with it.  
  
"Good lord.." the light mumbled, making the boys eyes widen in surprise. "Just get inta the lift now! We havena got much time left!"  
  
"You.. You can talk?" Clu asked, hesitantly entering the elevator.  
  
"Aye," the light answered, annoyed. "Now get inta the lift Jack."  
  
Jack arched a brow at his name, but stayed where he was.  
  
"Do ye want ta help yer sister or no?"   
  
A look of determination crossed Jack's face and he stepped inside.   
  
After a brief explanation of what had happened to Carey and Fiona, Bricriu gave instructions on how to reach floor thirteen.   
  
Clu stepped out into the deserted hallway and turned to look back at Jack. "C'mon man. What are you waiting for?"  
  
"You do realize that this floor is probably off limits to guests," Jack argued. "Besides, how can we really believe what that.. thing tells us?"  
  
Bricriu gave an indignant snort, "That *thing* has ears if ye hadn't noticed."  
  
"Dude. It's a talking ball of light," Clu replied matter-of-factly. "How could we not believe what it tells us?"  
  
Jack rolled his eyes. "Can't argue with *that* reasoning," he sighed. "Fine, but when they charge us with trespassing I'm turning state's evidence."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Fiona glanced up at the antique clock on the wall for the tenth time in as many minutes. Four twenty-two AM. Another five minutes or so and Kylie and Logan would be back to start the ceremony. Where was Bricriu? What on earth was taking him so long?   
  
She glanced over at Carey. He'd been quiet for a long while, his brows knit in concentration, staring at the ground. Looking away, Fi focused her attention on the doorway Logan and Kylie would soon come through.  
  
/Fi?/ Carey asked her mentally.  
  
/Yeah, Carey?/ Fi answered, breaking her gaze to look at him.  
  
/In case we don't.. Yeah well/ he cut himself off./There's something I want to tell you../  
  
Fi gave him a questioning look as the all-to-familiar butterflies returned to her stomach.  
  
Carey gave a half-smile. "I wanted to say that I-"  
  
"Well, well. What have we here?" Logan interrupted, coming into the room and heading towards them.  
  
A scowl crossed Fiona's face. *That's it*, she thought to herself, *He's goin' down*.  
  
Logan smirked as he put his face close to Fiona's and she turned her head away. "Don't frown my dear Fiona," Logan said snidely, putting his hand on the side of her face and turning it back to look at him. "You're so much prettier when you smile."  
  
Fi fought back the urge to spit in his face.  
  
"Get your hands off her," a voice called from the doorway.  
  
"Jack!" Fi shouted happily. Her brother walked a few more steps into the room as Logan turned to confront him. Behind him, Kylie crept up silently, wielding the knife Fi had seen her with earlier.  
  
"Look out!" Carey and Fiona shouted in unison. Jack ducked as Kylie slashed through the air where his neck had been. Surprised that she missed, her grip on the knife weakened. Jack reached out and grabbed her wrist causing her to drop the knife.  
  
Seeing his friend's plight, Clu came into the room and grabbed Kylie's arms from behind, tying them with a tiny piece of rope he had found being used as decoration in another room. Jack turned to help him.  
  
"Logan! The time! Hurry it up with that incantation!" Kylie shouted as she struggled to free herself from Clu's grasp.  
  
During the fight, Logan had grabbed the leather bound book from the altar and proceeded to recite one of the spells.   
  
"Jack!" Fiona yelled, struggling against her shackles. "Do something!"  
  
Jack looked towards his sister and gave her a helpless look, it was taking both he and Clu to keep Kylie from breaking free.  
  
/Fi.. try using your TK to move the book out of his hands... just.. lift it in the air or something, out of his reach./ Carey suggested.  
  
/B-but.. I can't! I can barely lift a pencil.. and that book must weigh at least five or ten pounds!/ Fi argued.  
  
/You've gotta at least try it Fi./  
  
Fiona narrowed her eyes and concentrated on the book, her brow creased in obvious strain, but the book didn't budge. "It's not working!" she said aloud.  
  
"We must be missing something," Carey replied, searching his memory for something that might help. "Wait! That's it!"  
  
"What's it?" Fi asked.  
  
"Remember all the times your powers have just gone off without you doing it?"  
  
"Yeah, what about it?"  
  
"How did you feel each time it happened?"  
  
"I felt.. sad.. or happy.." realization dawned on Fiona's face and she broke into a smile, "Emotions! That's it! They must strengthen my power..."  
  
Fiona thought back to a couple hours earlier when Carey had said that he'd do anything to keep her safe and concentrated on the memory, using it as she turned her attention to the leatherbound book that rested in Logan's arms. Slowly at first then with a little more speed, the book was lifted from Logan's grasp and floated a few feet out of his reach.  
  
"NOOO!!" Logan cried, jumping into the air as he tried to grab the book. "The incantation's not complete!!"  
  
Jack and Clu turned their attention away from Kylie to watch Logan's desperate attempts to reach the book.   
  
"No!" Kylie yelled, giving one final tug at her restraints.   
  
The four of them watched in awe as the antique clock four-thirty, letting out a single chime. In response, Logan and Kylie's forms began to slowly fade into nothingness. Soon, all that was left was two piles of clothes where they had been.   
  
"Wha.. What just happened?" Jack forced out.  
  
"Time's up," Fiona breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"Thank God," Carey added.  
  
Clu pulled a key ring out of the pile of clothes in front of him and went to release his brother and Fi from their shackles.  
  
"Thanks, Clu," Fi replied, stepping away from the wall and rubbing her sore wrists. Weakened by the exertion of using her gifts she leaned on her brother for support.  
  
"Let's get you guys back to the room," Jack pulled Fiona a hug which she returned warmly. "I don't know what that was and honestly I don't want to know. Just promise me that next time you decide to run off in the middle of the night you'll tell me about it?"  
  
Fiona smiled, "Sure, Jack. I'm sorry."  
  
Clu finished unlocking his brothers shackles and the four returned to the elevator, eager to leave floor thirteen behind them.  



	6. Epilogue

Authors Note: Okay, this could work as either an epilogue to The Thirteenth Floor or the prologue to the next story in my series (which I'm working on right now and will be posted sometime relatively soon). Thanks to everyone who's been sending feedback! Oh and for those of you who haven't seen the episode "Strange Geometry" or "Transplant" and have no clue as to who John Kane (Papa Bear) is I'll give you a quick background... he was in the original Phillips-Kane Band (note the name) back when Rick was still alive and has been close to Molly, Jack, and Fi for years. Go to http://soweird.iscool.net/ and check the episode guide for a better description.  
  
EPILOGUE  
  
Fiona finished typing up the last of the e-mail to her Papa Bear. John had made her promise after the whole nautilus incident to keep him updated on her adventures. She smiled and clicked send, leaning back comfortably on her bed and closing her eyes.   
  
It'd been a week since the whole thing with Logan and Kylie and the bruises around her wrists had lightened dramatically.   
  
Thankfully, Jack and Clu chalked up the whole levitating book to just general weirdness, not suspecting that Fiona was the cause of it. Afterwards, the four had returned back to the hotel room and Carey and Fi explained in detail what had happened, leaving out anything pertaining to Fi's powers.   
  
Jack, true to his character, spent the next half an hour giving possible explanations for what *actually* happened. As if that wasn't already obvious.   
  
No one said anything to Molly, Ned, or Irene, for fear of all of them winding up in trouble. And although Irene didn't seem to buy their impromptu explanation of the bruises around their wrists, she didn't make too much of it.  
  
Things had gotten back to normal in a hurry for the most part. Well, as normal as they ever were. They'd left Chicago a few days afterwards, and were more than happy to leave it and the hotel behind them. Now they were stopping in a small town in North Carolina, on their way to Boone.   
  
Fiona smiled.  
  
Once they reached Boone they were planning to meet up with her Papa Bear. He and Molly had argued for a while after he made her tell Fi about her fathers' interest in the paranormal, but that didn't last long. Now they were back to being good friends and had planned out this little vacation in North Carolina.   
  
Knock, knock.  
  
"Come in!" Fi answered.  
  
The door opened and Carey walked in, carrying his guitar case.  
  
"How was practice?" Fi asked, moving over to make room for him on the bed.  
  
"Great. The new song's working out really well," he smiled. "It totally rocks."  
  
"That's cool. I can't wait to hear it at the gig tomorrow," Fi closed her laptop and placed it in front of her. She raised a hand to help direct it as she used her TK to pick up the laptop and put it back on her desk.   
  
"Now I'm sure you're confident about your powers," Carey said with a laugh.  
  
Fi smiled but gave him a confused look, "Why's that?"  
  
"You just levitated your most prized possession across the room, that's why," he smirked.  
  
Fiona rolled her eyes and hit him with a pillow.   
  
The end.. for now =O) 


End file.
